Your Child
Learn History
John McGrath
Senior Director for Community Services,
Partnerships and Recognition Programs
Helping
Your Child
Learn History
Foreword
Contents
Imagine that you wake up one morning to find out you have no memory! Youre not
able to remember who you are or what happened in your life yesterday or the day
before that. Youre unable to recognize your children, and you cant communicate with
neighbors and other people because you no longer know how to greet them, and you
cant understand what they are saying. You dont remember what the words elections,
wars, or movies mean.
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
History Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Enjoying History With Your Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
How to Use This Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Some Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
What Is History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
A New Look at the Study of History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Geography: An Important Tool for Learning and Understanding History . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
History as Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Listen My Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Whats the Story? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
History Lives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Cooking Up History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Rub Against History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Our Heroes! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Learning How to Learn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
All About Our Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
In the Right Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Whats News? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
History on the Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
History as Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
School Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Put Time in a Bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Quill Pens & Berry Ink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Time Marches On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
The Past Anew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Weave a Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Time to Celebrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Its in the Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Working With Teachers and Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Federal Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Web Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Publications for Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Books for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Childrens Magazines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Just as having no personal memory deprives us of a sense of our own identity, having no
historical memory deprives us of a sense of our national identity and, in the words of Mrs.
Lynne V. Cheney, noted author and wife of the vice president of the United States, of a
perspective on human existence. Knowledge of U. S. history enables us to understand
our nations traditions, its conflicts, and its central ideas, values and organizing principles.
Knowledge of world history enables us to understand other cultures. In addition, without
historical memory, we miss a great source of enjoyment that comes from piecing together
the story of the pastour own, our nations and the worlds. Our historical memory is
enriched by our understanding of geography, which lets us better see the physical
context of cultures and environments around the world and across time.
Through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, President George W. Bush has made clear his
commitment to the goals of raising standards of achievement for all children and of
providing all children with highly qualified teachers and with instruction that is based on
scientific research. Helping Your Child Learn History is part of the presidents efforts to
provide families with the latest research and practical information that can help them to
support their childrens learning at home.
By showing interest in their childrens education, families can spark enthusiasm in them
and lead them to a very important understandingthat learning can be enjoyable as well
as rewarding and is well worth the effort required.
We hope that you find this booklet a valuable tool for developing and reinforcing your
childs interest in and knowledge of historyand that you and your family may increase
your appreciation for why such knowledge is important.
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Introduction
Children are born into history. They have no
memory of it, yet they find themselves in the
middle of a story that began before they became
one of its characters. Children also want to have a
place in historytheir first historical questions
are: Where did I come from? and Was I always
here? These two questions contain the two main
meanings of history: Its the story of people and
events, and its the record of times past. And
because its to us that they address these questions, we are in the best
position to help prepare our children to achieve the lifelong task of
finding their place in history by helping them learn what shaped the
world into which they were born. Without information about their
history, children dont get a lot of what they hear and see around them.
History Habits
Habits are activities that we do on a regular basis. We acquire habits by
choosing to make them a part of our life. Its worth the time and effort to
develop good habits because they enhance our well-being. The following
history habits can enrich your life experiences and those of your child.
1. Please note: In this booklet, we refer to a child as she in some places and he in others. We do this to make the booklet easier to read.
Please understand, however, that every point that we make is the same for boys and girls.
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Share family history with your child, particularly your own memories
of the people and places of your childhood. Encourage your parents and
other relatives to talk with your child about family history.
Read with your child about people and events that have made a
difference in the world and discuss the readings together. (The list of
publications in the Resources section at the end of this booklet can serve
as a starting point for choosing materials.)
Help your child know that the people who make history are real
people just like her, and that they have ideas and dreams, work hard
and experience failure and success. Introduce your child to local community
leaders in person if possible and to national and world leaders (both current
and those of the past) by means of newspapers, books, TV and the Internet.
Watch TV programs about important historical topics with your
family and encourage discussion about the program as you watch. Check
out library books on the same topic and learn more about it. See if the books
and TV programs agree on significant issues and discuss any differences.
Make globes, maps and encyclopedias (both print and online
versions) available to your child and find ways to use them often.
You can use a reference to Africa in your childs favorite story as an
opportunity to point out the continent on a globe. You can use the red,
white and green stripes on a box of spaghetti to help her find Italy on a map
and to learn more about its culture by looking it up in the encyclopedia.
Some Basics
child about why the holiday is observed, who (or what) it honors and
how and whether its observed in places other than the United States. At
ball games, talk about the flag and the national anthem and what they
mean to the country.
What Is History?
Once upon a time . . . That opening for many favorite childrens tales
captures the two main meanings of historyits the story of people and
events, and its the record of times past. To better understand what history
is, lets look closer at each of these two meanings.
Time in History
be aware that how we look at and think about things are often
shaped by our own biases and opinions.
make a lake, using sticks for bridges. The children name the streets, and
they may even use a watering can to make rain that washes away a
house. They may not realize it, but these children are learning some core
features of geographyhow people interact with the Earth, how climate
affects land, and how places relate to each other through the movement
of things from one place to another. When we turn to maps or globes as
we talk with our children about vacation plans, events happening around
the world or historical events, we teach them a great deal about
geography. Not only can such activities help our children learn how to use
key reference tools, but over time, they help them form their own mental
maps of the world, which allows children to better organize and
understand information about other people, places, times and events.
Activities
The activities in this section are arranged into two groups that reflect the
meanings of history as story and time. Each group is preceded by a review
of three elements of story and time from the perspective of history. The
review is meant to give you information that can support your conversations with your child as you do the activities.
For each activity, youll see a grade spanfrom preschool through grade
5that suggests when children might be ready to try it. Of course,
children dont always become interested in or learn the same things at the
same time. And they dont suddenly stop enjoying one thing and start
enjoying another just because they are a little older. Youre the best judge
of which activity your child is ready to try. For example, you may find
that an activity listed for children in grades 1 or 2 works well with your
preschooler. On the other hand, you might discover that the same activity
may not interest your child until he is in grade 3 or 4.
In a box at the end of each activity, youll find questions to ask your child
about some part of the activity. These questions help your child develop
the critical thinking skills hell need to participate well in society, learn
history and learn from history.
When you choose or begin an activity, keep in mind that the reason for
doing it is to help your child learn something about history. Whatever the
specific purpose of the activity, make sure that its clear to your child. The
information in the introduction and the questions for each activity can
help you do this. After you complete each activity, discuss with your child
what they learned. For example, making bread is one thing, recognizing
breads historical meaning is another. An added bonus: achieving a goal
you set together at the beginning of an activity gives your child the
pleasure of a completed project.
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The materials you need for these activities are found around most homes.
Before starting the activities, give your child a notebooka history login
which he can record his own ideas and opinions about each activity. If
your child cant yet write, encourage him to draw pictures of what he
sees, or tell you what to write for him. In addition, you may want to keep
a camera nearby so that your child can include photographs in his history
log. You may also wish to have him decorate and label a shoebox to use
for keeping history-related items and project materials.
Finally, feel free to make changes in any activityshorten or lengthen it
to suit your childs interests and attention span.
We hope that you and your child enjoy the activities and that they inspire
you to think of additional activities of your own. Lets get started!
History as Story
The essential elements of history as story are records, narration and evidence.
Records
History is a permanent written record of the
past. In more recent times, history is also
recorded on film, video, audiotape and
through digital technology. You might tell
your child that the time before we had any
way to record events is called prehistory. It
was in prehistorical times that dinosaurs
walked the Earth. She should also know that
before written languages were invented, humans told stories as a way to
preserve their identity and important events in their lives. Over time,
however, the stories changed as details were forgotten or altered to fit a
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Narration
Narration is storytelling, a way that people interpret events. History, with
its facts and evidence, is also an interpretation of the past. George
Washington, in his Farewell Address in 1796, said: Though in reviewing
the incidents of my administration I am unconscious of intentional error, I
am nevertheless too sensible of my defects not to think it probable that I
may have committed many errors. Your child needs to be aware that
events can have more than one cause and can produce more than one
effect, or outcome, and that there is more than one way to look at the
relationship between cause and effect.
What to Do
As you read, stop occasionally and ask your child to talk about a
character or what is happening in the book. Encourage her to ask
you questions if she doesnt understand something. Explain words
she may not know and point to objects that she may not recognize
and tell her what they are.
Show enthusiasm about reading. Read the book with expression.
Make it more interesting by talking as the characters would talk,
making sound effects and using facial expressions and gestures.
Evidence
All good histories are based on evidence. Your child needs to learn the
importance of evidence, and she needs the critical thinking skills to evaluate
historical accounts and to determine whether the they are based on solid
evidence or rely too heavily on personal interpretation and opinion.
Listen My Children
PreschoolGrade 1
A great way for young children to develop an interest in history is for parents
to make books with history themes a part of their reading-aloud routines.
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Talk with your child about the book youre going to read to her. Have
her look at the pictures and notice costumes, types of transportation,
houses and other things that show that the book isnt about modern
times. Talk with her about historythe story of past times.
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Read aloud a fairy tale or folk tale. You might choose, for example,
Little Red Riding Hood or The Story of Johnny Appleseed (for more titles,
check the Resources section at the end of this booklet). Talk with
your child about how the story begins and ends, who the characters
are and what they feel and what happens in the story. Ask him how
a made-up story is different from the story you told about the real
person you know.
Pick a moment in history, for example the fall of the Berlin Wall, the
storming of the Bastille in France, the assassination of President
Abraham Lincoln or a current event in the news. Take your child to
your local library and ask the childrens librarian to help you choose
books and other materials about the event that are age-appropriate
for your child. Read the book aloud with a young child; for an older
child, have him read it aloud to you or read it on his own and then
talk with him about the book.
What to Do
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Gather your child and other family members in a circle and have a
storytelling session. Choose a person that you all know wella
relative, friend or neighbor. Begin a group story about that person,
explaining that nobody can interrupt the story. Say, for example,
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History Lives
PreschoolGrade 5
At living history museums children can see people doing the work of
blacksmiths, tin workers, shoemakers, weavers and others. They can see
how things used to be made and learn how work and daily life have
changed over time.
When you get home, ask your child what his favorite object or
activity is and why. Talk with your child about what it would have
been like to live in that historical place in that period of time. Your
family might pretend to be living in the historical place. Try
spending an evening long ago, without using electrical lights
and other appliances such as TVs and microwave ovens. How is
life without those luxuries different from your life today?
What to Do
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Cooking Up History
KindergartenGrade 5
Every culture has its version of bread. Children enjoy making this Native
American fry bread. (Check the Bibliography and Resources sections of
this booklet for books that contain other recipes from history.)
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1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried skimmed milk powder
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Oil for frying
Mixing bowls and spoons, spatula
Large skillet
Cloth towels
Baking sheet
Paper towels
What to Do
Talk with your child about Native American peoplesthat they lived
in what is now the United States for thousands of years before nonnative peoples came here, and that many tribes still live throughout
the United States.
Read a book with your child about Native American life, both long
ago and today, either fiction or nonfiction. With an older child,
search the Internet for Native tribes, such as Blackfeet, Chippewa and
Navajo. Explore Web sites to learn about tribes geographic locations,
tribal activities and programs.
Have your child help you gather all of the ingredients listed above.
For a younger child, talk about what youre doing as you complete
each step in the recipe. Your older child can complete the steps as
you read them aloud. Reminder: Youll need to supervise your child
closely, regardless of his age, as you work around a hot stove!
Follow this recipe:
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. In
a small bowl, stir together the dried milk, water and vegetable oil.
Pour this liquid over the dry ingredients and stir until the dough is
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Help your child to use the Internet or reference books to find out
more about the role of bread in human history.
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Take your child on a walk around the neighborhood. Look for objects
that he can use for rubbings, such as dates in the sidewalk, words on
cornerstones and plaques on buildings or interesting designs on
bricks or other materials used on buildings. Once home, ask family
members to view the rubbings and guess what each represents. Ask
your child to tell the story behind the rubbings and why he chose to
make them.
Encourage your child to cut out some of his rubbings and include
them in his history log.
Grades 13
Younger children find making rubbings great fun. Cornerstones and
plaques are interesting, and even coins will do.
What to Do
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Our Heroes!
Grades 35
Heroes are everywhere. Sharing stories about them with children can help
them understand that heroes come from many different walks of life and
that their courageous acts occur in many different places and times.
Show your child pictures of historical figures who have been called
heroes. Choose people whom you admire and feel comfortable
talking about with your child. Choose groups as well, such as the
abolitionists who opposed slavery before the Civil War or the people
who participated in the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
What to Do
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What to Do
Sit with your child and show her how to use the phone book to find
information. For example, in the yellow pages, look for the heading
Museums. Talk with your child about the places that you find listed
thereWhat different kinds of museums are listed? Are they
nearby? Look especially for history museums.
Brainstorm with your child about what other headings you might
look under to find information about local history. Try, for
example, Historical Societies. (If your phone book has a special
section of information about community services and points of
interest, look there as well.)
Call the historical museums and societies that you find. Ask about
their programs for children, their hours and upcoming special
events. Also ask where else you should go to learn about your
towns history.
Have your child listen to your phone conversation and model for
her how to ask for information.
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Have your child begin a list in her history log of local historical sites.
Tell her to include phone numbers, addresses, hours of operation and
other useful information for future visits.
What to Do
With your child, research the history of the town, city or area in
which you live. Begin by asking your child what he already knows,
then ask him to make some predictions about what you will find out
regarding when your area was first settled, who the first settlers
were, where they came from, and why they chose to settle in the
area. Help him to record these predictions in his history log.
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What to Do
Grades 35
In order to talk and learn about places, and to locate themselves and
others in terms of place, children need to understand and be able to name
geographic directions.
For your older child, make the map activity into a game. When you
have made sure that she understands directions, pick a place on the
map and give clues about its location, for example, Im looking at a
city that is west of St. Louis and east of Kansas City. (You can also
name rivers, lakes, mountains or other geographic features that can
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be seen on the map.) When your child gets the right answer, have
her choose a place and give directional clues for you to use to find it.
As part of your childs study of national and world history, help her
to use an atlas or globe to locate places mentioned in her textbook.
Help to make directional words a part of your childs vocabulary by
using them yourself in daily conversation. Rather than saying,
Were turning right at the next corner, say, Were turning east at
the next corner. Encourage her to use the words as well.
Give your child blank paper and crayons or colored pencils and ask
her to draw a map of your neighborhood showing important
buildings and landmarks (churches, schools, malls, statues, rivers,
hills and so on). Remind her to include an indicator of direction on
the map. After shes finished, talk with her about what the map
shows and have her give specific descriptions about the locations of
various places on it.
Whats News?
Grades 35
Whats new today really began in the past. Discussing the news is a way to
help children gain a historical perspective on the events of the present.
What to Do
This activity can be most useful to
younger children if its done from time
to time to get them used to the idea of news. Older children benefit
from doing it more often, at least once a week if possible.
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Talk with your child about what these past events and people have
to do with events happening today. Help her record these
connections in her history log.
Watch the evening news or a morning news program with your
child. Help her to write as many references as possible to past history.
Discuss the links she finds between these references and the news
story you heard. In an atlas or on a globe, help her point out where
the stories she watched took place.
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History on the Go
Grades 35
Visiting the historical places that children
read about in their history books
reinforces for them that history is about
real people, places and events.
What to Do
Find out what historical events your child is studying in school. Then
check to see if a place related to those events is nearby and arrange
to visit it with your child. If such a place isnt nearby, arrange for a
virtual visit by looking for age-appropriate Web sites. See the list of
helpful Web sites in the Resources section at the end of this booklet.
Many of them contain links that provide tours of battlegrounds,
homes, museums and other places of historical interest.
Whether your visit is real or virtual, work with your child to
prepare for it together. You might, for example, ask your local
librarian to help you and your child find books, DVDs and
videotapes about the history of the place you plan to visit or about
the historical figures who lived there.
Call the visitor information centers for the area and ask to be sent
maps and specially prepared guidebooks (you can usually find
such centers through Internet searches or by consulting travel
books in your local library).
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Study maps or the area with your child. Talk with her about the
best way to get from your home to the site. As you travel, have
her follow the route on the map.
Help your child make a list of questions to ask on your trip.
Talk with her about the place youre visiting.
After the visit, have your child make up a quiz for you, or a game,
that is based on what she learned during the trip.
Encourage your child to read more about the place you visited and
the people who were part of its history. Especially encourage your
older child to find historical documents that are associated with
the site. For example, if you visit the site of the Ohio Womens
Rights Convention in 1851, which is in Akron, Ohio, you might
have him reador read to himSojourner Truths address,
known also as And aint I a Woman?
Ask your child to identify any geographical features of the site you
visited that played a part in the historical event she studied. If, for
example, you visit a Civil War battlefield, you might point out its
name and tell your child that the two sides in the war often gave
battles different names. The Union side usually chose names that
referred to a nearby body of water, such as a river, while the
Confederate side named the battle by the nearest town. So, the battle
called Antietam by the Union side (referring to a creek of that
name) was called Sharpsburg by the Confederate side (referring to
the Maryland town that was nearby).
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History as Time
The essential elements of history as time are chronology, empathy
and context.
Chronology
Although our children need the opportunity to study historical events in
depth to get an understanding of them, they also need to know the time
sequence of those events as well as the names of the people and places
associated with them. When we are able to locate events in time, we are
better able to learn the relationships among them. What came first? What
was cause, and what was effect? Without a sense of chronological order,
events seem like a big jumble, and we cant understand what happened in
the past. Its important that children be
able to identify causes of events such as
economic depressions and to understand
the effects of those events. These are skills
that are crucial to critical thinking and to
being productive and informed citizens.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to imagine ourselves
in the place of other people and times. To
accurately imagine ourselves in the place
of people who lived long ago, we must
have an idea of what it was like to be there. This requires learning about
both the world in which a person lived and that persons reactions to the
world. For example, in studying the westward expansion across our
country, children need to be aware of how very difficult travel was in that
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time. They may ask why people didnt just take airplanes to avoid the
dangers they faced on the wagon trails. When parents explain that people
then couldnt fly because airplanes hadnt yet been invented, children
may ask why not. They need an understanding of how technology
develops and of the technology that was available at the time of a
historical event. Just knowing the physical surroundings of a person at a
point in time, however, doesnt allow children to develop empathy. Stories
and documents that tell us about peoples feelings and reactions to events
in their lives allow us to recognize the human feelings we share with
people across space and time. Helping children find and use original
source documents from the past, such as diaries, journals and speeches,
gives them a way to learn to see events through the eyes of people who
were there.
School Days
KindergartenGrade 3
A good way to introduce children to history is to let them know how
schoola main focus of their liveshas changed over the years.
What to Do
Join your child in exploring what school was like 50 or 100 years
ago. Ask your librarian for help in looking this up, talk to older
relatives and neighbors and use the Internet. Again, include
photographs when possible.
Context
Context is related to empathy. Context means weave together, and
refers to the set of circumstances in several areas that surround an event.
To understand any historical period or event children should know how to
weave together politics (how a society was governed), sociology (what
groups of people formed the society), economics (how people worked and
what they produced), place (where the events happened) and religion,
literature, the arts and philosophy (what people valued and believed at
the time). When children try to understand the American Civil Rights
movement, for example, they will uncover a complex set of events. And
they will find that these events draw their meaning from their context.
History means having a grand old time with new stories. So, as you and
your child do the following activities, help him to think about the
relationship between history and time.
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With your older child talk about some of the history of work in
America and explain how it affects schooling. Tell her, for
example, that many years ago, when America was a largely
agricultural society, children were needed at home to help plant
and harvest crops. Because of this, children often didnt go to
school every day, or at all in the summer. In addition, the school
year was more or less matched to the time of year that was less
busy on farmsthe late fall and winter months.
Next explain that when America was switching from an agricultural to a manufacturing society, some children worked long days
in factories, doing hard, dangerous jobs. Eventually, laws were
passed to keep factories from using children to do dangerous
work. Along with these child labor laws, other laws were passed
that officially required children to go to school until a certain age.
Ask your child to imagine what school will be like in the future. Your
younger child may want to use blocks to build a future schoolhouse,
and your older child may want to draw or write about theirs.
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What to Do
Talk with your child about time capsules. Explain that when
buildings such as schools, courthouses and churches are built, people
often include a time capsulea special container into which they
place items that can tell about their lives and times to future
generations who open the container.
Tell your child that you want to help him make his own personal
time capsule. Talk with him about what he might want to put in
it. Ask, for example, what things he might include to give people
of the distant future a good idea of what he was like and what the
time he lives in was like.
Have him use a simple camera to take pictures of a few important
objects in his lifea favorite CD, poster or pair of shoes; a baseball
bat, football jersey or basketball; his computer, music player or cell
phone. Have him locate and add magazine pictures of games and
toys; cars, airplanes and other types of transportation; different
kinds of sporting events; and clothes. Next have him locate
examples of slang, ads for movies and TV shows, and selections
from important speeches, poetry and stories or novels. Also help
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him find stories about current heroes and local, national and world
events; and accounts of current issues and crises. Finally have him
write a letter to someone in the future that describes life today.
Call the family together and have your child do a show and tell
of the items hes collected.
Once everyone is satisfied with the collection, help your child label
the items with his name and with any other information that will
help those who find them understand how they are significant to
the history of our time.
Have him place the items in a container, seal the container and
find a place to store it.
Have him write in his history log a short description of what he
has done and record the date. Encourage him to draw a map that
shows the location of the time capsule and to use the correct
directional words to label it.
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What to Do
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Have your child watch as you form the pen point by cutting the fat
end of the feather on an angle, curving the cut slightly. (Note: A
good pair of scissors is safer than a knife. But play it safe, and always
do the cutting yourself.) Clean out the inside of the quill so that the
ink will flow to the point. Use the end of a paper clip if needed. You
may want to cut a center slit in the point; however, if you press too
hard on the pen when you write, it may split.
Give the quill pen to your child and tell him to dip just the tip in the
ink. Keep a paper towel handy to use as an ink blotter. Allow him to
experiment by drawing lines and curves and by making designs and
single letters. Show him how to hold the pen at different angles to
get different effects.
Have him practice signing his name, John Hancock style, with the
early American letters shown below. Then have him write his
signature in his history log.
Have him write his name again, using a pen or pencil. Talk with
him about how the signatures are alike and different.
Time Marches On
Grades 25
The stories of history have beginnings, middles and ends that show events
and suggest causes and effects. Making personal timelines can help
children understand these elements. They allow children to use events in
their own lives to gain a sense of time, to understand the sequence in
which things happen and to see connections between causes and effects.
What to Do
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Have your older child make a timeline poster by placing a long piece
of shelf paper on the floor. Have her use a yardstick to draw a line
that is three feet long.
Talk with your child about important dates in her lifethe day she
was born; her first day of kindergarten, of first grade; the day her
best friend moved in next door; and so forth. Tell her to write the
dates on the line. Invite her to add dates that are important for
the whole familythe day her baby sister was born, the day her
favorite uncle got married, the day the family moved to a new
place, the day a grandparent died and so on. If appropriate photos
are available, have her add them to the timeline.
For a horizontal timeline, use removable tape to fasten the paper
to the wall, making sure its placed at a level that is easy for your
child to see and continue working on. For a vertical timeline,
hang the paper next to the doorway in your childs room.
Display the finished timeline and ask your child to tell other
family members and friends what it shows.
Have your child expand her timeline by adding events that were
happening in the world at the same time as each event of her life.
Help her use the Internet or the librarys collection of newspapers
to find and record the headlines for each of her birthdays.
What to Do
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Weave a Web
Help her draw a web. Begin by placing the name of the place she studied
in the middle (like the spider who weaves a home). Then have her
draw several lines (strands) from the middle to show the major events
in the life of the place. To finish, have her connect the strands with cross
lines to show other related events. When the web is complete, talk with
your child about the relationships among the strands.
Have your child send her web to the editor of your local newspaper
and ask to have it published. She can write about the web and ask
readers to contribute more information to add to it. Tell her that this
is exactly how real history is written!
Grades 45
A history web is a way of connecting people and events.
What to Do
As you walk around your neighborhood with your child, point out
interesting buildings, statues or other features. For example, you
might pick a place in your community that has always seemed
mysterious to youan old ball field; a store, strange house or
courthouse; a church, fountain, monument, clock or school building.
Have your child study the place and write in her history log what she
sees and hears. For example, have her look for plaques, engravings
or other marks on buildings, such as dates and designs, or for
unusual features, such as bleachers, windows or bell towers.
Help her to find information about the place by asking a librarian
for resources, by searching the archives of the local newspaper, or
by using the Internet. Tell her to be on the lookout for events that
happened there, such as athletic records that might have been set
or visits by a famous person. Also have her look for things that
changed the place, such as the addition or removal of rooms, stairs
or parking lots.
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Help your child locate people who have lived in your town a long
time. Arrange for her to interview them using questions about the
place she studied and the events surrounding it, and about any
important events in the towns history that they remember.
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Time to Celebrate
Grades 45
On quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies is written the phrase E pluribus
unum, which is Latin for Out of many, one. It is an appropriate phrase
to describe how our country has developed and the many different people
and groups who have made it so great.
What to Do
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January 1
New beginning
January 15
Birth of a leader
Presidents Day
Originally, honored
Presidents Lincoln and
Washington; currently
honors all U.S. presidents
Memorial Day
War dead
Independence Day
July 4
Adoption of the
Declaration of
Independence in 1776
Labor Day
Working people
Columbus Day
Landing of Columbus in
the Bahamas in 1492
Veterans Day
November 11
War veterans
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
December 25
Birth of Christ
When you are talking about holidays, take the opportunity to read
original source materials related to them. For example: on Presidents
Day, read one of the great presidential speeches such as President
Lincolns Gettysburg Address or President Kennedys Ask Not What
Your Country Can Do for You inaugural address; on Martin Luther
Kings Day read his I Have a Dream speech. Talk with your child
about the meaning of each speech.
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Encourage your child to find out about national holidays that are
celebrated in other nations. Classmates, neighbors and relatives from
other countries are good sources of information.
Invite your child to think and talk about other important holidays
that she thinks our nation should celebrate. Are their any people she
thinks deserve to have a holiday of their own? Any group of people?
Any event that needs to be celebrated that isnt?
Discuss with your child your familys personal celebrations, and have
her write in her history log about these special days.
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What to Do
Use the cards to review with your child, helping her to name each
figure and match it with the events and dates.
When your child is comfortable with the cards, shuffle them and
deal an equal number to your child and to yourself. Choose one of
your cards and read it aloud. Say, for example, Harriet Tubman.
If your child has the event (Underground Railroad) or date
(1863the year she freed more than 700 slaves in a raid), she
must give you the card. If she has the card, she must give it to
you, and you continue asking for cards. If she doesnt have the
card, the turn goes to her, and she asks you for a card. Continue
until one of you has no cards left.
Ask your child to think of other ways to use card games to learn
more about history.
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What methods and materials does the school use for history
instruction? Are these methods based on sound research evidence
about what works best? Are the materials up to date? Can students
do hands-on projects? Is the curriculum well coordinated across
grades, from elementary school through middle school? Does the
curriculum include both world history and American history?
Become familiar with your childs school. During your visit, look for
clues as to whether the school values history. For example, ask yourself:
What do I see in my childs school and classroom to show that
history is valued? For example, are maps, globes, atlases, and historyrelated student work visible?
Are the history teachers highly qualified? Do they meet state certification and subject-area knowledge requirements?
Are newspapers, news magazines and other current events publications part of the history curriculum? Are videos, computer programs
and collections of original source materials included in the study of
history? Are textbooks and other resources up to date and accurate?
How does the school measure student progress in history? What tests
does it use? Do the tests assess what students are actually taught in
their classes?
If you feel dissatisfied with the history curriculum, talk to your childs
teacher first, and then to the principal, the head of the history
curriculum division, the school superintendent and, finally, members
of the school board. Also ask other parents for their opinions and
suggestions.
If you have not seen it, ask to look at the No Child Left Behind report
card for your school. These report cards show how your school
compares to others in the district and indicate how well it is
succeeding.
Find out about the schools history curriculum. Ask for a school
handbook. If none is available, meet with the schools principal and ask
questions such as the following:
2. Ballen, J. and Oliver Moles, O. (1994). Strong Families, Strong Schools. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Department of Education; Henderson, A. T. and Berla, N.
(eds.) (1994). A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Student Achievement. Washington, D.C.: Center for Law and Education.
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Meet with your childs teacher. Schedule an appointment and ask how
your child approaches history. Does she enjoy it? Does she participate
actively? Does she understand assignments and do them accurately? If the
teacher indicates that your child has problems, ask for specific things that
you can do to help her. In addition, you can do
the following:
Attend parent-teacher conferences early in
the school year. Listen to what the teacher
says during these conferences and take notes.
Does the class go on field trips that relate to history? For example,
does the class visit historical sites, history museums, local historians
or local elected officials?
Compliment the teachers efforts with your child. Let her know how
much you appreciate her commitment to all the children she teaches.
Visit your childs classroom. In the classroom, look for the following:
Do teachers display a thorough knowledge of their subjects? Do they
relay this knowledge to students in ways that students can
understand?
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Bibliography
Find out if the school has a Web site. School Web sites can provide
you with ready access to all kinds of information, including homework
assignments, class schedules, lesson plans and dates for school district and
state tests.
Get actively involved. Attend meetings of parent-teacher organizations.
If youre unable to attend, ask that the minutes of the meetings be sent to
you, or that they be made available on the schools Web site. If your
schedule permits, volunteer to help with the history program. Teachers
often send home lists of ways in which parents can get involved,
including the following:
Assisting with classroom projects;
Even if you cant volunteer for work at the school, you can help your
child learn when youre at home. The key question is, What can I do at
home, easily and every day, to reinforce and extend what the school is
teaching? This is the involvement that every parent can and must
provide.
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Resources
Federal Sources of Information
Web Sites
The following Web sites are some of the many that contain great links for
both you and your child. Most provide you and your child with
information about how to search for specific information and with links to
other age-appropriate sites.
KidSource: www.kidsource.com/index.html
Mapquest: www.mapquest.com
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Rich, Dorothy. (1992). Megaskills: How Families Can Help Children Succeed
in School and Beyond (rev. ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Russell, William F. (1997). Family Learning. How to Help Your Children
Succeed in School by Learning at Home. St. Charles, IL: First Word Learning
Systems, Inc.
Wise, Jessie and Bauer, Susan Wise. (2004). The Well-Trained Mind: A
Guide to Classical Education at Home. New York: W. W. Norton.
Wolfman, Ira. (2002). Climbing Your Family Tree: Online and Off-Line
Genealogy For Kids. New York: Workman Publishing.
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We have divided the books into two groups, those most appropriate for you to
read with your younger child and those that will appeal to your older child,
who reads independently. However, youre the best judge of which books are
appropriate for your child, regardless of age.
PreschoolGrade 2
American History, Culture and Biography
Catrow, David. We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States.
New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.
Bauer, Susan Wise. The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child,
Volume 1: Ancient Times. Peace Hill Press.
Berger, Melvin and Berger, Gilda. Mummies of the Pharaohs: Exploring the
Valley of the Kings. National Geographic Society.
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine,
1845-1850. Houghton Mifflin.
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Provensen, Alice and Provensen, Martin. The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel
with Louis Blriot. Puffin.
Barnes, Peter. Marshall, the Courthouse Mouse: A Tail of the U. S. Supreme Court.
Vacation Spot Publishing.
Swift, Hildegarde. Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge. Red Wagon
Books.
High, Linda Oatman. A Humble Life: Plain Poems. Eerdmans Books for Young
Readers.
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Busby, Peter. First to Fly: How Wilbur & Orville Wright Invented the Airplane.
Crown Books for Young Readers.
Catrow, David. We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United
States. Dial Books for Young Readers.
Hartman, Gail. As The Crow Flies: A First Book of Maps. Demco Media.
Cheney, Lynne V. A Is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women.
Knowlton, Jack. Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary. Harper Trophy.
Clapp, J. Right Here on This Spot. Houghton Mifflin.
Leedy, Loreen. Mapping Pennys World. Holt.
Coombs, K. M. Children of the Dust Days. Carolrhoda Books.
National Geographic Society. Our World: A Childs First Picture Atlas.
National Geographic Society.
Evans, Freddi Williams. A Bus of Our Own. Albert Whitman & Company.
Grades 3 and Up
American History, Culture and Biography
Barber, James and Pastan, Amy. Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies.
Smithsonian Institution.
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Tanaka, Shelly. Attack on Pearl Harbor: The True Story of the Day America
Entered World War II. Hyperion Books for Children.
Jacobs, William Jay. Ellis Island: New Hope in a New Land. Atheneum.
Loewen, Nancy. We Live Here Too! Kids Talk about Good Citizenship. Picture
Window Books.
West, Delno C. and West, Jean M. Uncle Sam and Old Glory: Symbols of
America. Atheneum.
Wilson, Jon. The Declaration of Independence: Foundation of America. Childs
World.
Maestro, Betsy and Maestro, Giulio. A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our
Constitution. New York: Morrow.
New York Times Staff. The New York Times: A Nation Challenged, Young Readers
Edition. Scholastic.
Ravitch, Diane. The American Reader: Words That Moved a Nation. Perennial.
Deedy, Carmen Agra. The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of
Denmark. Peachtree.
Sobel, Syl and Tanzey, Pam. How the U. S. Government Works. Barrons
Juvenile.
Macaulay, David. Pyramid. (See also City: A Story of Roman Planning and
Construction; Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction; and Castle). Houghton
Mifflin.
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Major, John S. The Silk Route: 7,000 Miles of History. Harper Trophy.
Fisher, Leonard E. The Oregon Trail. (See also Tracks Across America: The Story of
the American Railroad, 1825-1900.) Holiday House.
Wilder, Laura I. Little House in the Big Woods. (See also others in the Little
House series.) (Various editions.)
Geography
Hoobler, Dorothy and Hoobler, Tom. The First Decade: Curtain Going Up.
Millbrook. (See also other books in the series about life in the twentieth
century, including The Second Decade: Voyages; The 1920s: Luck; and The 1930s:
Directions.)
Cooper, Margaret. Exploring the Ice Age. Atheneum Books for Young
Readers.
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Cobblestone
8008210115
(www.cobblestonepub.com)
Contains articles and stories that focus on American history. (Ages 8 and up)
Dig
8008210115
(www.cobblestonepub.com)
Focuses on archeology and on the historical and cultural aspects of various
societies. (Ages 8 and up)
Kids Discover
2126774457
(www.kidsdiscover.com)
Contains theme-related articles, many of which focus on events and
people in U.S. and world history. (Ages 5 and up)
Childrens Magazines
Appleseeds
8008210115
(www.cobblestonepub.com)
Contains articles, activities and games that develop skills and interest in
various content areas, including geography and U.S. history. (Ages 7 and up)
Calliope
8008210115
(www.cobblestonepub.com)
Focuses on world history. (Ages 8 and up)
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Acknowledgments
Helping
Your Child Header Here
This publication was originally written by Elaine Wrisley Reed of the
National Council for History Education and edited by Jacquelyn
Zimmermann of the U.S. Department of Education. Revisions for the
current edition were completed by Elaine Reed and Fran Lehr.
Illustrations were done by Adjoa Burrows and Joe Matos.
This booklet has been made possible with the help of many people within
the Department of Education and external organizations, including, most
notably, the Office of Lynne V. Cheney and Libby OConnell of the History
Channel, who reviewed drafts, and provided materials and suggestions.
The History Channel also committed financial support towards the
production of this booklet. In addition, a special thanks to Todd May in
the Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs and Jacquelyn
Zimmermann in the Office of Public Affairs for their help in the design,
development, editing, production and distribution of this booklet.
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